Customer service and hospitality dynamics are the key aspects of providing excellent hotel service.
In this article we will tell you all about a key tool to make a perfect first impression: the welcome letter.
In this article you will learn about the benefits and advantages of designing a welcome letter. In addition, we share some tips and advice to retain your audience with a clear, concise, friendly and well-worked message. The preparation of this type of material does not usually take a large investment of time or money. Therefore, it is a profitable strategy, especially for customer loyalty campaigns. Let’s start!
What is a welcome letter?
The welcome letter is a personalized letter that the hotel can send after check in. The format chosen for this small marketing action can be digital or physical. This will depend on your hotel’s target audience and active communication channels. In addition, this decision must be taken around the budget allocated to generate greater profitability.
The welcome letter must present a warm, respectful and friendly message, sent by the hotel staff, the founder or the owner of the accommodation. This is the first contact you can have with a guest, and it can be the beginning of a long and lasting relationship.
Benefits of a welcome letter
One of the main objectives of a welcome letter is to anticipate to each client what they can expect from the hotel/accommodation. In this sense, it actually might present a small guide that can include some regulations, services and amenities of the facilities. This works as an excellent first impression, and enables subsequent contact with guests.
With a welcome letter, you can appeal to emotions and sensations, to begin to work a close bond with the guest. This strategy serves especially to personalize the service and provide a friendly relationship.
A welcome letter can be of great help in informing guests of the upgoing events, meetings and local activities. In addition, you can invite guests to visit local facilities, and add up selling or cross selling strategies, spreading complementary services such as restaurant, massages, excursions, etc.
This tool is an excellent opportunity to share local recommendations and provide the guest with a traditional experience with the opinions of the hotel staff. In addition, it becomes a new channel to invite your guests to follow you on social networks, recommend the establishment and leave their reviews on the different platforms.
Welcome letter format
A welcome letter not only contains the intention of greeting your guests, but also of generating a solid brand identity. In this sense, the menu must convey the essence of the hotel. Therefore, it is necessary to think about the way of communication, the target audience to which it is addressed and the information that can not be missing.
Here are 3 essential factors to get a complete welcome letter:
1.) Local information. In the welcome letter it is advisable to include curious facts or recommendations about the region where the accommodation is located.
2.) Contact details. This tool works as a first contact with the guest. However, it is necessary to clarify to the client through which means he should contact the reception during his stay, and even inform about the working hours. At this point, social media can also be included to generate more traffic.
3.) A warm greeting. Like any letter, it must end with a farewell. At this point it is necessary to establish who is the sender of the message. Depending on the tone of communication, you can send the welcome letter from all the hotel staff, the manager of the accommodation facility or the hotel brand. You choose!
Implement a welcome letter at the time of check in, and you will see how the relationship with your guests, together with the guests’ reviews improve fast.
